F 1401 
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 Copy 1 
 
 The Founding of the Review 
 
 By 
 
 CHARLES Ev CHAPMAN 
 
 COMPLiME^ 
 
 E6 E C.-iAPMr 
 
 Reprinted from The Hispanic American Historical Review, 
 Vol. I, No. I, February, igi8 
 
U 
 
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 tK, 
 
Reprinted from The Hispanic Amebican Historical Reyibw, Vol. I No. 1,, 1918 
 
 THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 
 
 The founding of the Hispanic American Historical Review 
 is the natural result of the growing demand for a periodical which 
 could supply the technical needs of students in the Hispanic- 
 American field. Not only was there no single periodical adequate 
 to their purpose among the many devoted in whole or in part to 
 the southern countries of the Americas, but indeed in all of them 
 together there was hardly enough material of the kind which the 
 historical investigator would require.^ There was no medium 
 for articles which would not find a ready acceptance in existing 
 periodicals of history, and especially was it true that none of the 
 latter provided the bibliographical and other technical informa- 
 tion about Hispanic America which is almost a prerequisite to 
 the successful handling of this largely unorganized field. There 
 seemed to be a general agreement, too, that Hispanic America 
 itself and the relations of the United States with, and with regard 
 to, the lands composing it were of enough consequence to merit 
 the publication of a review, and it was everywhere asserted, with 
 evident justice, that the field was a growing one, responding to 
 the ever greater importance attached in this country to questions 
 having to do with our neighbors in the south. 
 
 Such was the nature of the remarks between individuals in this 
 field, but in 1915 an exceptional opportunity was presented for a 
 more general exchange of views. In that year a special session 
 of the American Historical Association was held at San Francisco 
 and the neighboring university towns of Berkeley and Palo Alto 
 in connection with the Panama Pacific Exposition. As appears 
 from the papers published in the memorial volume of that meet- 
 
 1 It will not come as a surprise to a number that the Christian Science Monitor 
 has been regarded by some of our leading experts as the best working tool in 
 existence on Hispanic America. With all due respect to the excellent Boston 
 publication it would seem that history men should have an organ a little more akin 
 to their profession. 
 
 Gift 
 
 Author 
 
 DEC ss urn 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 
 
 ing,2 the whole tenor of the occasion was distinctly Hispanic, 
 reflecting the activity of the historians of the Pacific Coast and the 
 Southwest in precisely those fields of history which bear a close 
 relation to the colonial endeavors of Spain. The presence of the 
 distinguished Spanish historian, Rafael Altamira, perhaps the 
 most widely known of the invited guests from foreign countries, 
 was an added factor tending in the same direction. It was Senor 
 Altamira, indeed, who suggested the founding of just such a peri- 
 odical as is now being launched, and the matter was informally 
 discussed, although no definite steps were taken. In the follow- 
 ing year it chanced that Dr. William Spence Robertson and the 
 writer represented, respectively, the universities of lUinois and 
 California at the American Congress of Bibliography and History 
 held in Buenos Aires to commemorate the one hundredth anni- 
 versary of the Argentine Declaration of Independence (July 9, 
 1816). Perhaps the principal result of the congress was the 
 expression of a desire for the publication of a bibhographical 
 periodical which would enable students to know what scholarly 
 work was being done in all branches of learning in the various 
 countries of the Americas. It was also hoped that such a peri- 
 odical might be published in each country. In accord with the 
 spirit of the congress and having regard to the facts as they were 
 in the United States, Doctor Robertson and the writer decided to 
 make a formal proposal to the history profession in our country 
 for the founding of a review to be a little less broadly inclusive 
 than the one suggested at Buenos Aires, to deal with Hispanic- 
 American history. In conversations with the leaders of the con- 
 gress, they announced their intention, and received the hearty 
 indorsement of these men. Thereupon they sent a communica- 
 tion to the American Historical Review which was printed in the 
 number for October, 1916. The communication follows: 
 
 » The Pacific Ocean in history, ed. by H. Morse Stephens and Herbert E. Bolton. 
 New York. 1917. 
 
10 THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW 
 
 An Ihero- American Historical Review 
 
 To the Managing Editor of The American Historical Review: 
 
 Dear Sir: The undersigned wish to suggest to the American His- 
 torical Association, through the Review, that a section should be devoted 
 at the next meeting of the Association to a discussion of the feasibility 
 of founding an Ibero-American Historical Review. They believe that 
 the pubHcation of such a review would be, possibly, the most practical 
 method for North American historical scholars to cooperate with the 
 permanent Congress and the American Bibliographical Institute which 
 have just befen established by the Congreso AmeVicano de Bibliograf fa 
 e Historia at Bueiios Aires. In connection with the project to found a 
 new historical review, the undersigned wish to make the following 
 tentative suggestions : — 
 
 1. That the said revieW should be ddvoted to the history (political, 
 economic, social, and diplomatic, as w6ll as narrativ^) and institutions 
 of Spain, Portugal, and the Latin-Amencan states. 
 
 2. That it follow the general style and arrangement of the American 
 Historical Review, but with more space allotted to bibliography. 
 
 3. That articles in Spanish and Portuguese be printed as well as 
 those in English. 
 
 4. That the articles pubHshed be mainly those of such a character 
 that they cannot find rdady acceptance in the regional periodicals 
 which already exist. 
 
 5. That members of the Ame|rican Historical Association who may 
 be interested in the project, kindly consider it before the Decembesr 
 meeting, with special attention to its financial aspepts. 
 
 William Spence Robertson, 
 Charles Edward Chapman. 
 
 Doctor Robertson remained in South America for nearly a 
 year thereafter, but the writer reached this country in November. 
 Upon arrival in Washington he called upon Doctor Jameson, and 
 learned that no definite action had been taken on the proposal. 
 It therefore seemed clear that if anything was to be done, the 
 writer would have to do it. He wishes particularly to acknowl- 
 edge, however, the encouragement and wise counsel of Doctor 
 Jameson, whose interest and aid have been steadfast throughout 
 the period of the founding of the Review, and without which he 
 most certainly would have failed of his purpose. At Doctor 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 11 
 
 Jameson's suggestion a request was made for a place on the pro- 
 gram in the annual meeting of the American Historical Associa- 
 tion, and a group dinner was arranged for the discussion of the 
 project. While in Washington the writer called at the State and 
 Treasury departments and at the Pan American Union, and 
 received unofficial declarations of interest in the proposed Review. 
 In New York Professor Wilham R. Shepherd and Doctor Victor 
 H. Paltsits were particularly helpful with suggestions. On No- 
 vember 25, the writer sent out seventy-two letters, nearly all 
 to members of the history profession believed to have an interest 
 in Hispanic-American studies. In this letter he called attention 
 to the group dinner, invited the recipients to attend, and re- 
 quested an answer expressing their views as to the idea. Little 
 further action was takein until the meeting of the Association. 
 Indeed, it seemed unwise to do much more until the idea should 
 be indorsed; in particular, no attempt was made to procure funds. 
 In the meantime, the writer went into the subject of expense, 
 and procured data as to the probable annual cost of pubhcation. 
 A surprisingly good record was made by the recipients of his 
 letters. Sixty out of the seventy-two answered. Six opposed the 
 project, eight were non-committal, and forty-six announced them- 
 selves in favor of it. Most of them discussed the financial prob- 
 lem, and it seemed to be the general opinion that this should be 
 satisfactorily met before the Review should be launched. Another 
 point taken up by them was that of the name of the magazine. 
 Many objections were made to the term ''Ibero-American," the 
 original suggestion of Doctor Robertson and the writer. Among 
 the other names proposed were the following: Hispanic American 
 Historical Review; Latin American Historical Review; and variants 
 of these titles, employing such words as "Journal of History", 
 "Historical Journal", "Magazine of History", and "Historical 
 Magazine". Only three of the men who opposed the founding 
 of the Review stated the ground of their objection, and this 
 was that there were not enough men or sufficient equipment 
 in this country to provide first-class articles; one of the writers 
 went so far as to say that there was not enough scholarship in the 
 country to support the American Historical Review, let alone any 
 
12 THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW 
 
 other historical periodical. On the other hand, most of the letters 
 expressed the opinion that on that score there could be no doubt 
 of the success of the Review. One of the prominent reasons for 
 supporting it was because of the relationships it would engender 
 with Hispanic America. Some viewed the matter from the 
 standpoint of national affairs, and others from that of our associa- 
 tions with the historians of the southern countries. Several 
 writers urged that articles by Hispanic Americans in their own 
 tongue be printed frequently. A great many alluded to the 
 purely professional advantages to our own men in the Hispanic- 
 American field. Excerpts from specimen letters are given as an 
 appendix to this article. 
 
 In the course of the sessions of the American Historical Associa- 
 tion, held in 1916, at Cincinnati, the group dinner to discuss the 
 project took place on the night of December 29 at the Hotel 
 Gibson. Despite counter attractions, about thirty persons were 
 present, two of whom were women. Among them were the fol- 
 lowing: Eugene C. Barker, Texas; E. J. Benton, Western Re- 
 serve; M. L. Bonham, Jr., Louisiana; M. L. Burr, Cornell; C. 
 L. Chandler, South American representative of the Southern 
 Railway, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Harvard; Charles E. Chap- 
 man, California; Arthur H. Clark, Cleveland, Ohio (pubUsher); 
 Isaac J. Cox, Cincinnati; G. S. Godard, Hartford, Conn.; F. H. 
 Hodder, Kansas; James A. James, Northwestern; J. F. Jameson, 
 Managing Editor, The American Historical Review and Director 
 of the Historical Research Department of Carnegie Institution 
 of Washington; J. L. Kingsbury, Normal School, Kirksville, Mo.; 
 J. G. McDonald, Indiana; T. M. Marshall, Idaho (now Colo- 
 rado); T. P. Martin, Harvard; Miss Irene T. Myers, Lexington, 
 Ky.; Victor H. Paltsits, New York Public Library; C. 0. PauUin, 
 Carnegie Institution of Washington; W. W. Pierson, Jr., North 
 Carolina; T. C. Powell, vice-president Southern Railway system 
 and member Railway Priority Board; James A. Robertson, 
 Washington, D. C; WiUiam L. Schurz, Michigan; Justin H. 
 Smith, Boston, Mass.; Mrs. M. H. Stone, Saginaw, Mich.; Fred- 
 erick J. Turner, Harvard; and R. G. Usher, Washington Uni- 
 versity, St. Louis. Attention should be called to the distinguished 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW , 13 
 
 character of those in attendance. Many of them were men of 
 national reputation. 
 
 The writer asked Doctor Justin H. Smith to preside, and Doctor 
 James A. Robertson (not to be confused with WiUiam Spence 
 Robertson, who was still in South America) to act as secretary. 
 The dinner over, the writer was called upon to outline the project 
 for the Review. He did so, substantially as has been indicated 
 thus far in this article. In commenting upon the communication 
 signed by Doctor William Spence Robertson and himself he made 
 the following additional suggestions : attention should be paid to 
 social, economic, and political (including diplomatic) history as 
 well as to the mere external narration of events, and some con- 
 temporary materials might be used from time to time; Hispanic 
 America should be the principal field, but that ought to be inter- 
 preted as including the entire Caribbean area and those parts of 
 the United States formerly under Spain and Mexico for the pe- 
 riods prior to their annexation to this country; articles on the 
 Philippines, in so far as they related to things Spanish, might 
 also be accepted; nevertheless, the review should in no sense 
 compete with periodicals of history embracing the same areas 
 within the United States, but, on the contrary, there should be a 
 spirit of co-operation between the several boards of editors, for 
 the new Review would rarely desire the articles which the others 
 would prefer, and vice versa. Articles in French should be wel- 
 comed as well as those in Spanish and Portuguese. 
 
 At the conclusion of his address the writer offered a resolution 
 in the following terms: 
 
 ' 'Resolved, by members and guests of the Amel-cian Historical Associa- 
 tion gathered at the group dinner to discuss the project to foimd an 
 Ihero- American Historical Review: 
 
 ' 'That the general proj ect for such a Review seems to them a desirable 
 one, provided adequate financial backing can be procured. " 
 
 At the same time he submitted two motions, as follows : 
 
 ' 'That a committee of seven be chosen at this meeting, to be called the 
 Committee on Organization, with power to take all steps which may in 
 their judgment seem best to found a review coming within the general 
 objects proposed in the project for an Ihero-American Historical Re- 
 view, their power to include: 
 
 mtmmm 
 
14 r^Z HI5JA^"C AiCZBirAX HX^TOBICAIi bsvxbw 
 
 " ; _-- r:;::: :.iii 3 dutv t: 5— k an endowmeiit to srnarantee its 
 
 '\"o^ A right 10 s<r-e:~ :l z:Li:iT::r TJif reri: .1:2-. 
 
 **(c) A rigiit to deiic :Jir izi:iil r: i: 7 ;' policy of the Review. 
 
 "(di A righ.T and a duty zo priv:: i i:: r.s initifd organization and 
 
 ■ " e A ri^d" ': 5r: ilic ^-:e T7!ifn pubEeation slmll begin, provided 
 that date c t z : L Ter than Jannaiy, 191S. 
 
 "(f) A nz-i- : d-^ : 1-re without fonnding the Heview. 
 
 *'*g^ A rii;^" -zl:. _ i-iTv to do anvrhiaff else "which mav seem desir- 
 able or necessary. " 
 
 **Hat a e'3irmiiLtee 01 tiiree be edcsrn. to be callei the Xominaiing 
 
 ComiciTTee. "^"rd a sdisie function, to be exercised once only. viz.. a 
 
 : ~rr 00 :n n : _z ; :: : n ircan the Committee on Organization, to make 
 
 - : ;-. ":::!= : : dir o :- : ird of editors, who 9-h-\\] be elected in such 
 
 -^ 1.= ;_!_" : r t: ^ £ :ii : ri bv the Committee on Organization." 
 
 The "writer expLiined thar ae:-er'diiig to his views the first com- 
 mittee should be coiiLp.:;sed. of men who were actively engaged iq 
 the Hjspanic-Ajnericaii field, but the second should be made up of 
 men of high striding in the profe^on who were not Hispanic 
 Americanists: the latter committee he regarded as necessary in 
 order to allow the monbers of the Committee on Organization to 
 woifc with an entireh- free hand, free from suspicion that they were 
 striving in their own interests, and yet free, when the time should 
 come, to accept an election to the board of editors. There was a 
 great deal of enthusiastic discussion- Among others, Prof^sors 
 Baater. Bonham. Brandon. Burr, and Cox, and Doctors Chandl^, 
 J^neson^ and Paltsits spoke on matters connected with the proj- 
 ect, and all of them indorsed it heartily. The writer was asked 
 to surest nam^ for the two conamittees, and did so, as f oUows : 
 
 For the C iziniittee cm Or ganizat ion • 
 
 EaM. — J^nes A. Kobertstm, Washington, D. C. chairman: William 
 E. Shephexij Columbia: Edward L. Stevenson. Hispanic Society; 
 Hiram Bingham, Yale: Juhus Klein. Harvard. 
 
 Middle WeM. — ^Isaac J. Cox, Cincinnati, or Eoland G. Usher, Wash- 
 ington University. 
 
 Par We^^t. — ^Herb^t EL Bolton. California. 
 
 aamsii 
 
TfTF. FOrXDIXG OF 7HZ iZ --J:-^ 15 
 
 Doctor Ccz Tn-jnTr— i_: :lizit l^i^-ii^ :!li: :: Z : - "-Z-^ 
 For thp X nTnJTiarinp p — -— — -_ Z'::t::' 7 ~ i:iit:.z Zi: :^;z 
 Professor Fr-:^Tr::Z 7 7iri-rr :- Z : :: r:_5Ti:i H, .^ "--"-!. 
 
 An amendment was made zi :: t ; :Zig the monbQ^diip <rf the 
 Committee on Organization t: i-iz.- :i.i adding tl- l:zi^ of C. 
 L. Chandler and C. E. Chapr:!::! _ tringpot. mt ir^ohiticHi 
 and the two motions, with the names suggested and tibe ameod- 
 ment to the fiist motion, were eazned nnanimoo^. Otfaer 
 motions were also earned, as follows: that iiaee ntanbezs ^wuld 
 constitute a quorum in the Committee aa. Orj^anizaticm; Uiat <hl 
 the death or resignation of any mpmber of a eoonnittee the otfaa* 
 members should be empowered to dect his aiecessar; tibatDoctoer 
 Chapman be instructed to inform Doetor Willmm ^loiee 
 Robertson of the appreciation of those present of hk sehcdar^b[q> 
 and work : that a vote of tbanlr= be extended to Doctors Chapooan 
 and Smith for their conduct of the meeting. An adjonmmiait 
 was then taken, and this very suecesful occaaon was hnm^xt to 
 a close. Truly, as the secretary expressed in 4e minutes, * Tlis 
 meeting was deeply entfansia^ie and pmpoeefaL"* 
 
 A year has passed since the groiq> dinns' of Decembea*, 1916, a 
 year which witnessed the breaking of dqilomatic Tpfatinms by oar 
 country with Germany, followed by our entrance into the great 
 war. It was natural that the outbreak of war againi^ such a 
 powerful enemy should tend to check entefpaises like ^lat <rf the 
 founding of a scholarly periochcal not directly rdated to the e<Ht- 
 flict. Xevertheless. such progress has been nmde that the edxtcss 
 feel justified in offering the Review to Umb poblie; evoi in the midst 
 of a war year. Whereas the wrrter necessarily had ciiiirzr : : Tie 
 project up to the time of the Cincinnati meetii^ it h:: - f ^:_ :Zt 
 Chairman of the Committee on Oi^nbsaticHi wiio h?. - iir : : t i 
 everything done since. A sonunazy of the adiie~T_:_ _ - :: 
 the Committee on Organization^ in aeecfdanee with :i.f : ^^ers 
 granted it. is herewith presoited. 
 
 It i^^s hoped that an endowment of ten thousand doOais mi^t 
 be procured, but it eariy bec-ame clear that the Review coold not 
 
 i»Semfk iwmricm, ed. by Serz-er: I, Preg^lr.- 5f:_:r r .1" j; :l-'r 
 
16 THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW 
 
 compete with Red Cross work, the Y. M. C. A., Liberty Bonds, 
 and the numerous other philanthropic and patriotic interests 
 engendered by the war. Nothing could have been done, had it 
 not been for the generosity of the Castilian-born Mr. J. C. 
 Cebri^n, for forty-seven years a resident of San Francisco, and a 
 citizen of the United States, who subscribed and paid in the sum 
 of $2500. The following gentlemen have also subscribed sums 
 aggregating $1175: Robert Alter, Cincinnati; Charles E. Chap- 
 man, University of CaUfornia; C. L. Chandler, Chattanooga; 
 Charles H. Cunningham, Texas; C. W. Hackett, University of 
 California; Hayden Harris, New York; C. H. Hull, Cornell Uni- 
 versity; P. A. Martin, Leland Stanford Junior University; W. S. 
 Robertson, University of Illinois; W. R. Shepherd, Columbia 
 University; Willard Straight, New York; Mr. Frederic Archer 
 Upton, head of the oldest United States business house in Brazil, 
 100 years old; D. B. Wentz, Philadelphia. Most of them have 
 already turned over the amounts opposite their names. The 
 Review begins, therefore, with an endowment of $3675 — not so 
 much as the editors would like, but representing a safe margin 
 until such time as subscriptions and further contributions shall 
 make up a more substantial sum. All funds as received from 
 guarantors were held in trust by Mr. Waldo G. Leland, Secre- 
 tary of the American Historical Association. A number of indi- 
 viduals and institutions have already announced their intention 
 of subscribing for the Review. 
 
 The question of a name for the periodical was the subject of 
 much discussion. There was a general agreement on the use of 
 the words ' 'American " and ' 'Historical", and the word ' 'Review " 
 was almost equally favored over "Journal" or 'Magazine". 
 Finally, the matter was narrowed down to a consideration of the 
 terms "Hispanic" and "Latin". By a vote of six to one, with 
 two not voting, the name Hispanic American Historical Review 
 was at length chosen. The reasons for the choice of the word 
 "Hispanic" are best expressed in the words of Mr. Cebrian, the 
 principal guarantor of the Review : 
 
 An initial error, followed by thoughtless routine, has caused many 
 people to believe that "Hispanic" means "pertaining to Spain", where- 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 17 
 
 as its true meaning is "pertaining to Spain and Portugal". Hispania 
 was from the beginning, and always has been, the name of the whole 
 peninsula. The Romans divided Hispania into Tarracon^sis and 
 Betica; Augustus subdivided the latter into Betica and Lusitania; 
 later, there were five provinces, but Hispania was the name of the whole. 
 During the Middle Ages th^e were several kingdoms, one of which 
 came to be Portugal, but the name Hispania was retained in European 
 Hterature. The Greek name Iberia might also be appHed, but with less 
 justice than Hispania, since Iberia extended into France, while His- 
 pania was restricted to the peninsula. On the other hand, the term 
 "Latin" means "pertaining to France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal". 
 It is a fact that neither France nor Italy discovered, settled, or civi- 
 hzed the lands south of the United States. Spain and Portugal, 
 unaided by the other Latin countries, fashioned the new world after 
 their own image. The few spots where Danish, Dutch, or French is 
 spoken, in the Wqst Indian Islands, are negligible quantities compared 
 with the huge mainland areas. The few thousand negroes and negroids 
 who spoil the French language in Hayti can hardly be considered Latin. 
 Furthermore their land was originally and for many years under 
 Spanish control. If we choose to call the southern peoples "Latin" 
 because their language is derived from the Latin, then we ought to call 
 the North Americans ' 'Teutonic " ; indeed, there is much more German, 
 Scandinavian, and Dutch blood in the United States and Canada than 
 there is French and Italian blood in the otheir Americas. The world 
 very wisely has not adopted "Teutonic America" for the United States 
 and Canada, and in like manner it should not employ "Latin America" 
 for the countries which are not Latin but Hispanic. The term "Latin 
 America", with its fourfold implication, is ambiguous, misleading, and 
 unscientific, while "Hispanic America", with its twofold significance, is 
 unambiguous, complete, truthful, scientific, and just. 
 
 The Committee on Organization felt that the proposal of 
 Doctor W. S. Robertson and the writer as expanded by the latter 
 in his talk at Cincinnati adequately expressed the initial editorial 
 policy of the Review. Provision was made for a board of editors 
 of six members, one of whom was to be the managing editor. 
 The managing editor was to be elected by the board and was to 
 retain his post permanently or until a successor should be chosen 
 by a majority (four members) of the board. In the case of the 
 first board, lots were to be drawn by the five members other than 
 
18 THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW 
 
 the managing editor for terms of respectively one, two, three, four, 
 and five years. Thereafter, the editors chosen were to serve for 
 five years. Thus one member was to be elected each year. It 
 was agreed that members of the board might stand for re-election, 
 although it was deemed probable that most of them would not do 
 so. Except in the case of the first board (to be chosen as herein- 
 after stated), new members were to be elected by a vote of a 
 majority, exclusive of the retiring members (three out of five). 
 Legal title was vested in the board of editors, who were to pledge 
 themselves to carry on the affairs of the periodical in a way which 
 seemed to them conducive of the best results for the men in this 
 countrj^ engaged in the field of Hispanic-American history. The 
 managing editor and the other members of the board were to make 
 any further provision for the conduct of the Review which they 
 might deem to be necessary or proper. In addition, a board of 
 consulting editors was arranged for. Two were to be chosen at 
 the outset (as hereinafter stated) and others were to be added 
 whenever the active board of editors should so decide. The 
 office was to be an honorary one for men who had greatly dis- 
 tinguished themselves in the Hispanic-American field, but who 
 were imable to devote their time to the publication of the Review. 
 They were to be consulted by the active board on matters of 
 importance, and their suggestions were to be received at aU times 
 with due respect and attention. 
 
 While the Review was not pubhshed as early as January, 1918, 
 no objection was made by members of the two committees or by 
 the guarantors to a later start. In any event, February was 
 deemed a better month in which to begin, because it would mean 
 that the subscribers might receive the Review in a different 
 month from those in which the other leading history quarterlies 
 arrive, besides which it would enable the complete volume to 
 coincide with a given year. On account of the war some favored 
 a long postponement of pubhcation, but it was at length decided 
 to issue the first number under date of February, 1918. It was 
 agreed that the managing editor should receive a salary of one 
 thousand doUars a year. There were to be no other salaried 
 officers and no allowances for traveling expenses, but all inci- 
 
 mp«p 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 19 
 
 dental expenses for necessary office supplies, etc., were to be met 
 from the funds of the Review. Articles and other matter were 
 to be paid for at the rate of two dollars a printed page. 
 
 Finally, the Committee on Organization agreed that the Com- 
 mittee on Nominations should not only nominate the first Board 
 of Editors (active and consulting), but that election should be 
 determined by the mere fact of acceptance of the nomination. 
 On Decmber 2, 1917, the Chairman of the Committee on Organi- 
 zation (who was at that time in California) wrote to the Chairman 
 of the Committee on Nominations announcing the posts for 
 which names were desired. The report of the latter committee 
 was made at a meeting of those interested in the new Review, 
 which was held at Philadelphia (December 29) during the annual 
 conference of the American Historical Association, and was as 
 follows : 
 
 On notification from the Committee on Organization that the Com- 
 mittee on Nominations was desired to name a Board of six editors and 
 two Advisory Editors, the Committee on Nominations reports as follows: 
 Board of Editors: Charles E, Chapman, Isaac J. Cox, Julius Klein, 
 WilKam R. Manning, James A. Robertson, and WilKam Spence 
 Robertson. 
 
 Advisory Editors: Herbert E. Bolton, and William R. Shepherd. 
 
 J. F. Jameson, 
 [Signed! Justin H. Smith, 
 
 Frederick J. Turner. 
 
 On motion duly seconded, the report of the Committee on 
 Nominations was adopted as read, and the secretary of the meet- 
 ing (the Chau'man of the Committee on Organization), by virtue 
 of the double authority vested in him, informed the nominees of 
 the action of the Committee on Nominations, it being understood 
 that election to the positions covered by the nominations should 
 be contingent on the acceptance of said nominations. Upon the 
 acceptance of the nominations by the several nominees, the Com- 
 mittee on Nominations, m accordance with the terms of its 
 appointment, ceased to exist. 
 
 The Committee on Organization, acting through its chairman, 
 contracted with the Waverly Press of Baltimore to pubUsh the 
 
20 THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW 
 
 Review, and the material for the first number was, accordingly, 
 seint to the said company. At the meeting in Philadelphia above- 
 mentioned, a brief report was made of the operations of the Com- 
 mittee on Organisation by its chairman. On vote of the Board, 
 Doctor James A. Robertson was (in February) elected managing 
 editor. With this, it may fairly be said that the Hispanic 
 American Historical Review had become definitely estab- 
 Hshed. While it is probable that reports will be given from 
 time to time with regard to its inner progress, that is a matter 
 that lies in the decision of the managing editor and the board. 
 
 Charles E. Chapman. 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 Excerpts from letters to Charles E. Chapman in December, 1916.^ 
 
 "I am glad to hear that a plan is on foot to found an Ibero-American 
 Historical Review. Aside from the service which such a Review can 
 render to students of history in the United States, it also will serve to 
 arouse a deeper interest in the development of Latin-American countries 
 and will serve as a means of fostering closer intellectual and cultural 
 ties with these countries. The founding of such a Review will, I am 
 certain, be received with great satisfaction throughout the countries of 
 Latin America." — L. S. Rowe, University of Pennsylvania. The testi- 
 mony of a man so highly esteemed in South America as Professor Rowe 
 is decidedly worthy of consideration. 
 
 "The project seems to me extremely desirable and I shall be glad 
 to cooperate in any way in helping make it a success." — Hiram Bing- 
 ham, Yale University. Professor Bingham went on to say that he him- 
 self had proposed a similar project a few years ago. 
 
 ' 'Needless to say I am heartily in favor of the plan of launching an 
 Ibero-American Historical Review. I have long been convinced of the 
 desirability of such a publication and the present time seems particularly 
 opportune for making the venture. I shall be glad to further the plan 
 
 * In the circular letter sent out by the writer the terms ' 'Ibero-American His- 
 torical Review" and ' 'Latin America" were used. This helps to account for their 
 employment in many of the replies. 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 21 
 
 in every possible way, even to the lejiding of a certain amount of finan- 
 cial assistance. " — P. A. Martin, Leland Stanford Junior University. 
 This letter is inserted as characteristic of the enthusiasm with which 
 the project was received by the younger men in the Hispanic-American 
 group of our historians. It will be noticed that Doctor Martin's name 
 appears in the list of donors to the Review. 
 
 ''I beheve in the project for the Ibero-American Historical Review, 
 and feel sure that if it is properly planned, manned, and supported, it 
 will be a great force in the development of the vast field of Spanish- 
 American history which is so insistently claiming the attention of 
 American scholars. What is most needed now is a good journal, to 
 serve as a focal point for the interests of all students in the field, Euro- 
 pean, Anglo-American, and Latin- American. It should provide a place 
 for articles, reviews, news, notes, documents, and, especially, bibho- 
 graphical and archival lists." — Herbert E. Bolton, University of Cali- 
 fornia. The need and the function could hardly be stated more clearly 
 than this. 
 
 ' 'I want to support the idea enthusiastically. Any means of forming 
 a bond of sjonpathy between the history people of the two continents 
 ought to have wholesome backing from North American students. Our 
 men here like the idea. Professors Bolton and Stephens have already 
 written to you, but let me assure you that some of the younger men 
 [naming five] join with me in hoping for the ejiterprise a prompt and 
 successful initiation." — Herbert I. Priestley, University of California. 
 This letter is inserted to call attention to the fact that there are a number 
 of younger men in the country writing masters' and doctors' theses, 
 some of whose work would occasionally merit inclusion in the Review. 
 This means help to the Review and encouragement to studetots. 
 
 "To say that the project to found an 'Ibero-American Historical 
 Review' interests me is putting the case mildly . . . The scope might 
 well be extended so as to embrace the history and institutions of Spain 
 and Portugal. Indeed it might be broadened enough to provide a 
 field of study for contemporaneous Spain, Portugal and Latin America, 
 affording space, not only for articles on present-day conditions, political, 
 social, economic, and intellectual, but for a record of current events, 
 and for lists and reviews of works dealing with the various themes, both 
 
22 THE HISPANIC AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW 
 
 of the last two items in particular being very difficult to find. My idea 
 in brief, then, would be to have the new journal represent Spain, Portu- 
 gal and their national descendants in America to the educated Enghsh- 
 speaking world, to serve as a sort of intellectual clearing-house, in a way 
 no existing periodical does. It ought to describe them not only as they 
 have been, but as they are. ... So far as I am aware, periodicals 
 printed in EngHsh and dealing with Latin America are not only silent 
 about Spain and Portugal, but they give scant heed to the history and 
 institutions of the Latin-American countries themselves. . . . We 
 need in this country an agency of information which will supply both to 
 the student and to the general reader items that will awaken interest 
 and hold it." — WiUiam R. Shepherd, Columbia University. The above 
 is only one of a number of letters since written by Professor Shephejrd in 
 which the most helpful suggestions are made and emphasis is placed on 
 the importance of founding the proposed Review. The following 
 excerpt from one of them, coming as it does from such an authority 
 as Professor Shepherd, is particularly worthy of presentation. "No 
 area on earth is likely to have a more conspicuous place in the inter- 
 national affairs of mankind than that of the twenty southern repubHcs; 
 and no foreign power can have a more immediate interest in them than 
 the United States." It is with regret that the writer feels unable to 
 insert more of Professor Shepherd's words on the subject, for they con- 
 stitute, he beHeves, the strongest argument he has seen of the need for 
 the new Review, It may also be pointed out that Professor Shepherd's 
 name appears in the list of donors to the Review. 
 
 '^This project is a very interesting one, and it may be that I will be 
 able to be of some assistance to you when it is finally formulated." — 
 Willard Straight, New York City. Mr. Straight has generously sub- 
 scribed five hundred dollars. 
 
 "I am naturally interested in the proposed publication referred to 
 . . . I should be glad to learn more of your plan if, as I imagine, it 
 has in some measure taken form." — Archer M. Huntington. At the 
 time, the project could hardly be said to have taken form. It is 
 now an accompHshed fact. 
 
 "It is impossible for the Pan American Union, or for myself as its 
 head and, therefore, an international officer, to endorse any project 
 
THE FOUNDING OF THE REVIEW 23 
 
 whatever. . . , I can say however, that the general idea which you 
 outHne of a quarterly interests me, and, speaking from hasty judgment, 
 I think it is a field which would be appreciated by a considerable con- 
 stituency. If you go ahead towards the reahzation of your plan, I am 
 am quite sure that all of us connected with the Pan American Union will 
 be glad to give you such aid as we consistently can. ... I want 
 to see you succeed." — John Barrett, Pan American Union. 
 
 "Such an enterprise, in my opinion, would surely contribute sub- 
 stantially to improve Latin-American relations with the United States 
 by affording a common vehicle for the pubHcation of historical articles 
 and discussions in which all the peoples of America have an interest. 
 It is gratifjring to learn that many Latin American scholars have already 
 given assurances of support, and I have no doubt of the success of this 
 quarterly when once launched." — W. G. McAdoo, Secretary of the 
 Treasury. 
 
 The following letter to Doctor James A. Robertson dated June 2, 1917, 
 may also be inserted: ' 'It gives me pleasure to inform you that I have 
 read with great interest the minutes of a conference on the foundation 
 of a Journal of Latin-American History, held at Cincinnati, December 
 29, 1916, and wish to say to you that I beheve that a Journal of Latin- 
 American History would be of gre^t benefit, both to the scholars of this 
 coimtry and to those of Latin America. It would also serve the purpose 
 for which all of us have been striving both in the past, and, particularly, 
 in the present, namely the foundation of closer relationship between 
 _all of the Americas." — Robert Lansing, Secretary of State. A letter 
 of the writer to Mr. Lansing was mislaid. It is interesting to observe 
 that the Secretary of State wrote, some six months afterward, when the 
 writer's letter was discovered, that he would be glad to speak a word for 
 the Review, if it were not too late. The above document was the result. 
 It is also worth while to note that Mr. McAdoo and Mr. Lansing were 
 the only United States ofl&cials who were asked to make a statement with 
 regard to the project — with the exception of President Wilson. The 
 letter of our president, published elsewhere in this number, is enough 
 in itself to justify the appearance of the Review and to entitle it to the 
 encouragment and support of high-minded Americans. 
 
LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 
 
 015 816 061 4 
 
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